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Psalm 34:11-16 People continue to amaze us day in and day out. On the one hand, we observe acts of heroism and deeds of self-sacrifice for the good of others. Firemen continue to rush into burning structures to make rescues. Men and women in blue still run toward the danger in order to save lives and subdue evil doers. Nurses and doctors suit up and go in where a pandemic proliferates to provide relief and healing. We could go on. On the other hand, we hear of all sorts of evil being perpetrated every day. Drug dealers continue to sell death. People murder other people seemingly indiscriminately. Men and women, boys and girls, are trafficked for sex. Communist China has the Uyghur population enslaved in indoctrination camps. Nowhere is this stark contrast of the capacity of humanity to do both good and evil than in the current warfare on Ukraine. There was an unprovoked attack on a peaceful country. There is indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets - apartment buildings, schools, hospitals. Women and children have been killed. People are maimed. Food and water are scarce. Many have no power, no heat. Millions have fled to neighboring countries. Families are broken and separated. Tears of grief and fear flow freely. But in the face of all this evil, good is responding. The president of Ukraine has stood forth as a man of courage to rally his people with hope against the aggressor. Men and women are taking up arms to fight for their freedom. Neighboring countries are receiving the refugees and providing for their needs. Many nations are responding with food, medical supplies and weapons. Individuals are opening up their wallets to provide help. Prayers abound. We marvel that such a range of good and evil can come from the same humanity when all are made in the image of God. The influences for both good and evil are many and powerful. Nobody has all the answers to this complex conundrum. We all get to choose. Keep telling the truth and praying that people choose wisely. ><> Jeff

Ephesians 2:1-6 Job laments that some people die in the prime of life having known ease and plenty while other die in bitterness having never known any measure of prosperity (21:23-26). Solomon’s notes on life record that the righteous die off while the wicked man prolongs his days (Ecclesiastes 7:15). Others echo the same sentiments. Deep down in your heart you, also, know it’s true - life isn’t fair. For some reason, though, we continue to expect that things will change and that amidst all the underhandedness, power plays and plain wickedness some sense of fairness will begin to rule on earth. But God’s word cautions that as long as we live on a cursed planet among sinners of all stripes, such fairness will never become the norm but be a highlight in a parade of evil doings. However, God has not left us without hope. As we struggle with the unfairness of life and cringe and grieve at its outcomes, we lose sight of this monumental fact - grace isn’t fair! Paul reminds us that the grace which brought about our salvation was in no way fair either. He reminds us that we were dead in trespasses and sins, following the world and the devil himself. Such a condition clearly demonstrates our guilt and warrants a guilty verdict before God’s judgment seat. The penalty is death - eternal destruction. Perhaps we’ve heard the gospel so many times that it has ceased to humble us. Maybe we’ve allowed the cross of Christ to become common fare to our ears. Have we begun to think that we deserve saving?! Paul’s words reverberate with wonder - “by grace you have been saved.” This is favor which rises up out of God’s love and stands against the just and fair verdict of guilty which falls on the head of each and every person. Praise God, this grace isn’t fair! And that’s what makes it grace! And that’s why the whole world needs to hear of the cross of Jesus Christ which still brings grace into a world riddled with unfairness.

Proverbs 3:13 We have all seen this scene played out in a restaurant. Two people sitting in the same booth across from one another busily engaged. But they are not engaged in conversation, that is not with each other. They are each busily looking at their phones, scrolling and pecking and thumbing. They might be playing a game with someone else, or texting with someone else, or watching a video, or checking the weather, or conversing with an image on the screen... Such were the beginnings of the metaverse. What is the metaverse? The internet provided several similar definitions, but this one seemed to describe the phenomenon in a nutshell: “a fully realized digital world that exists beyond the one in which we live.” Today, that world is being greatly enhanced through the use of virtual reality headsets which enable the wearer to play games with other people, tour exotic places, ski... - do just about anything virtually. It is a virtual reality. Virtual means practically or in effect, but not in actual fact. It appears to be real, but in fact is not. It is another uni-verse. Now we’re not arguing against technology or video games or being able to post something on social media. What we are arguing is that this is a dangerous game we play because this metaverse can swallow us like Jonah’s great fish and replace reality for us. When it’s more important to you to play that video game with your pals than discuss your finances with your spouse - beware! When you prefer telling all your “friends” about your lunch and your plans for the day rather than walk your dog - beware! When you would rather “surf the north shore of Hawaii” than play catch with your son - beware! There is only one reality. “How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding.” ><> Jeff

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed, “Lord, prop us up on our leanin’ side.” After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently. He answered, “Well, sir, you see it’s like this ... I got an old barn out back. It’s been there a long time. It’s withstood a lot of weather. It’s gone through a lot of storms, and it’s stood for many years. It’s still standing, but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit. So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall. “Then I got to thinking ‘bout that and how much I was like that old barn. I been around a long time; I’ve withstood a lot of life’s storms; I’ve withstood a lot of bad weather in life; I’ve withstood a lot of hard times, and I’m still standing, too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time., so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leanin’ side, ‘cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.” – via mikeysfunnies.com The old deacon had it right. We all get to leanin’ at times because of everything that has been “beating” on us. Whether it’s health issues, financial problems, relationship difficulties, or any combination of the demands and heartbreaks of life, our spiritual house can begin to tilt. We’ve all felt this; some more so than others. In times like these we must take action to get ourselves “propped up.” If we don’t, we just might collapse. And people do dreadful things when that happens: walk away from God, commit suicide, turn to drugs, hurt somebody, etc. It’s not pretty as we say. When Paul was being hounded by Satan’s messenger he wrote: “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” Christ will prop you up, too. Believe it. ><> Jeff

Matthew 5:13-16 Webster defines influence as “to have an effect on the nature, behavior, development, action or thought of.” We are all influenced by many things whether directly or indirectly. Parents and teachers influence us directly through what they try to teach us. Influence is indirect when we just observe or hear what’s happening around us. It can be the old “do as I say, not as I do.” Dad warns us never to use curse words, but then we hear him cursing a “blue streak” in the garage with his buddies. Both will influence us. The television shows we watch, the web sites we visit, the movies we see, the books we read, the music we listen to - all these and more influence us either for good or bad. Certainly, the people with whom we keep company influence us. “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Whether we like it or not, we all influence those around us. Most of the time, this is an indirect kind of influence. People see what we do, and hear what we say. Kids hear and see Mom and Dad in the home. Do they squabble a lot? Yell at each other? Gossip? Is the house kept clean? Is there prayer? Is there praise when someone does something good? Is there fun and laughter? Is the Sunday morning assembly of first priority? Our Matthew passage is an encouragement for us to do good. In being “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world,” Christians do good and so affect the lives of those around them. Helping the needy, visiting the sick, praying with the grieving, sharing the gospel, et al, become ways to influence others for good when people see these good works which bring help and hope, and so bring glory to God. On the other hand, our influence may not be so good. Do we complain all the time? Are we crabby? Do we avoid work? Are we judgmental? Selfish? Unfriendly? Controlling? So, we have two questions for ourselves. What is influencing me in my life? What kind of influence do I have on others? Hmmm?

Ephesians 6:4; 2 Timothy 1:5 Being a parent is a difficult task. Being a Christian parent in today’s world is a monumental undertaking which requires divine assistance! With the teaching of God’s word, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and a multitude of prayers, Mom and Dad can rear their children in the ways of the Lord. Here’s a few questions to help out. 1) - Is Jesus truly the Lord of your home? Do your kids know that? 2) - Do you pray with your children when the situation calls for it? 3) - Do you as Mom and Dad pray together about the task you have in bringing up your children? 4) - Are God and the Lord Jesus honored in your home before your children? E.g.: “God has blessed us with a sunny day today.” 5) - Do you as Dad and Mom consult the scriptures when it comes to teaching and disciplining your children? 6) - Do your children see the fruit of the Spirit in your lives. E.g.: Do you show kindness, keep your word, have a joyful demeanor, avoid angry outbursts, freely forgive, etc.? 7) - Are church assemblies and Bible studies a customary part of your weekly schedule? 8) - Do you take advantage of “teaching moments” to show how God’s word applies to everyday life? Remember, the devil is out to destroy your family, ruin your children’s lives, and keep them from eternal life. ><> Jeff

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." How many times have you heard that quoted? It's one of the few scriptures that have stuck in the minds of many people even outside of the faith. In my experience, Psalm 23 is one of the most commonly quoted passages of scripture, second only to John 3:16. Yet, for how much it's quoted, I rarely hear it discussed. For as beautiful of a passage of scripture as this is, I don't feel like we take the time to discuss it very often. That goes for both newer and older members of the faith. So, I'd like to remedy that. Psalm 23 is a common source of comfort for many members of the faith. On the surface, it is one of the easier psalms to read and understand. David relates God here to being like a shepherd. God guides David to "lie down in green pastures" and leads him "beside still waters." He even goes as far to say that the Lord guides him through "the valley of the shadow of death" and that He protects David with the shepherd's rod and staff. I don't know about you, but the "valley of the shadow of death" doesn't sound like a place I want to be. Yet David claims here that he has faith that God will protect him and that he has nothing to fear. David shows that his faith gives him strength and comfort in even the most dire of situations, so what do we ever have to be afraid of? With all of this in mind, though, I'm not writing this just to talk about Psalm 23. As with many things in scripture, the thing that makes this psalm so good is the parallel it has with other parts of scripture. The idea and symbolism of the shepherd is one that can be found all throughout scripture. It's one of (if not the) most common symbols for the Lord used in both the old and new testaments. All of them add onto Psalm 23 incredibly well. However, there is one that I'd like to bring up specifically. John 10:1-18 is one of my personal favorite passages of scripture. Jesus states here that the shepherd knows his sheep, and they know the shepherd. He goes as far as saying the shepherd calls them all by name. Jesus then explains that He is the "good shepherd." He is the door by which sheep enter and are saved. Psalm 23 says that the shepherd protects his flock with his staff and rod. Jesus takes this even further, saying that the good shepherd lays down his own life for the sheep. So here's the beautiful combined message. The Lord is our shepherd. He is the door by which we enter into the pasture and are saved. He leads us in paths of righteousness. He calls each of us by name, and we know His voice. He guides, guards, and protects us through all of our life's struggles, so that we may never have to fear any evil in life or death. He has laid down his life to save us. I don't know about you, but I couldn't ask more than that from my shepherd. I eagerly await the day when He calls us by name and we get to hear His voice. Do you? Ryan **Ryan Zumpano is a student at Shadyside High School. He is the the Senior Class President and President of the National Honor Society (just to name a couple of things) and will finish 2022 at the top of his class. He plans to attend college and pursue a career in Data Analytics. Ryan attends our church weekly with his family and takes an active role in our services.

Daniel 7 When I was in high school (sometime last century), I read a historical novel set in the days of the Roman empire which really captivated my mind. I don’t remember the title of the book, but the author painted a glorious picture of Rome and emphasized the good aspects of the Roman system (There was much which was good about Rome, but also a great deal which was quite bad.). This particular book came to a close with Rome being driven from the British Isles by their native peoples. This upset me quite a bit, and I remember asking my mother why the Roman empire had not continued to that day. I don’t remember her answer, but I know now that the answer to my question lay in the scriptures. In Daniel 7, we read of Daniel’s vision of four beasts which represented four kingdoms. The fourth beast is easily identified with the Roman empire which was destroyed and whose dominion was taken away primarily because of its persecution of “the saints of the Highest One” (vv 11, 21, 25-26). The Lord God did not allow it to continue because of its corrupting wickedness (Revelation 18:1-20). But Daniel, as he struggled with understanding what he saw in the visions, is shown “one like a Son of Man” receiving dominion, glory and a kingdom - one which shall not be destroyed (vv 13-14). This is Christ Jesus whose kingdom began in the days of Roman rule. Later on, Daniel is also told (v 27) that the people of God will have a share in this kingdom. This is the kingdom of God which is manifestly revealed today in the church of Christ Jesus. This kingdom is “an everlasting dominion” which “will not be destroyed.” No earthly kingdom has received such a sure future from God. Not Babylon. Not Rome. Not the Ottoman empire. Not the British empire. Not the Third Reich. Not the United States. God has set the times and boundaries of all earthly peoples (Acts 17:26), but the kingdom of His Son will have no boundary nor end. This is the only kingdom with a sure future. And what a future that is!! ><> Jeff

Matthew 5:3-12 The scriptures paint deep contrasts between the devil and his domain and the Lord Jesus Christ and His kingdom. We find such descriptions as darkness and light, evil and good, wickedness and righteousness, death and life, etc. The differences are extreme. To illustrate, let’s imagine that the devil were to present us with his “beatitudes.” Perhaps they would read something like these: > Blessed are the proud and haughty, for they will help enlarge the borders of darkness and death. > Blessed are those who laugh at and ignore all the troubles and grief caused by sin, for they will find no comfort themselves. > Blessed are the stubborn and hard-hearted, for they will come away from life empty-handed. > Blessed are they who lust after and grasp for wickedness, for they will get exactly what they want. > Blessed are the unmerciful, for they will find no mercy. > Blessed are those with vile and divided hearts, for they will not see God nor what He has promised for those who love Him. > Blessed are the trouble makers, for they will be called sons of the devil. > Blessed are those who abuse and hurt others, for their end will be blackness and destruction. Quite a contrast, don’t you think? ><>Jeff

Hebrews 10:23-25 Two things have come together in our day to give us some new terminology - virtual church. We refer, of course, to the virus pandemic because of which indoor gatherings were discouraged and many businesses were closed. We, in fact, did not meet together for thirteen weeks. The other factor is technology. We are now able to view and talk with others (even in a group) on our computers, tablets, smart phones and even televisions. This is when we began to “live stream” our lessons. It was a stop-gap method to still preach the word and stay in touch without jeopardizing lives. But what was an emergency response to a dangerous situation has now become for many Christians a new way to do church - “virtual church.” In your living room, listen to the preacher’s lesson, maybe say a prayer, perhaps take the Lord’s supper by yourself and “Walla!” - you have virtual church. How easy is that?! Do you think this is what God had in mind for His followers? By definition, virtual is not the real thing. The word translated “church” is the Greek ekklesia which means a group called out into an assembly. Church is an assembly or a gathering. The Hebrews’ author exhorted his readers not to forsake assembling together because of the current persecution. Note what he says was missing when they didn’t gather together. They were to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds.” There was to be an “encouraging” of one another. I’m not sure today’s church has learned yet that these things are an important part of our assembling together. But they certainly are not possible when the congregation is sitting at home in their “jammies.” (There is more to be said on this topic.) When you are sick, recuperating from surgery, in quarantine, etc., being able to hear the word and keep in touch with the congregation via technology is a plus. But such an arrangement was not the Lord’s idea for “assembling together.” ><> Jeff

Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 43:13 Before the beginning there was nothing ... except God. When we say nothing, we mean NOTHING! This is difficult for us space and time travelers to comprehend. When we consider this “before the beginning” situation, we probably think of God just “floating” around in space somehow. But this is an incorrect picture. There was no “space” as we know it. How do we know? The word says that God “created the heavens.” This is the “space” where He put everything. The heavenly bodies came later on day four. So, before the beginning, we have God in eternity - the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And at some point they make a decision - to create a creature with whom they can share their life and love (Ephesians 1:4-5). In order to do that, they had to make a place for this creature to live. So, the heavens and the earth are created. This scenario prompts a truckload of questions in us, but we wish to consider two thoughts about God Himself - His wisdom (intelligence) and His power. We have all designed and made things in our day. As kids, we drew pictures, made ornaments for the Christmas tree, or folded paper airplanes. Later on, we planted vegetable gardens, decorated cakes, built a bookshelf, did craft work, etc. But in none of these things did we imagine something entirely new. We copied and replicated things or parts of things in existence already. Not so with God. He imagined and designed things which had never existed before! From the vast and enormous to the minute and intricate, He designed. We can only stand in awe of a Mind which could imagine and design an entire eco-system with 1000's of perfectly interacting kinds of living things. And then, He had the power to bring them all into existence from nothing - just by speaking! “Then God said, ‘Let...’” And whatever God envisioned and called into existence came to be just as He planned it - all dancing in perfect rhythm. Consider God and His wondrous works.

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 Isaiah prophesies of “My servant” who is to come. We understand this figure to be the Messiah, and the prophecy finds its fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth who was made Lord and Christ. This is not a “happy” passage of scripture, but it provides for hope and joy in our relationship with God. More than any other it gives insight into the life and death of God’s Servant and the effect which He would have upon people, even upon kings. He still has the same effect today. Over half of the passage deals with the Servant’s making “a guilt offering” for sin (v 10). We know this to be Jesus’ sacrifice on His cross for the sins of the world. When we contemplate Jesus’ cross, especially around the Lord’s Table, we usually focus upon the painful suffering Jesus endured by way of crucifixion. It was an agonizing death to be sure. And our Isaiah passage speaks of physical torment: “pierced...crushed...chastening...scourging.” We do not want to minimize the physical pain of the crucifixion, but it is a mistake to believe that the physical suffering of Jesus is what brought us redemption. After all, countless Christians later died on crosses for their faith at the hands of the Romans. In three places (vv 6, 11, 12), Isaiah writes of the Lord’s laying upon His Servant the iniquity and sin “of us all.” This seems to be more than an academic transference in God’s mind, and Peter (1:2:24) writes that Jesus “bore our sins in His body on the cross.” We cannot begin to imagine the agony of bearing the iniquity of the entire world at one time and being under the wrath of God for such. And the prophet tells us that it brought about another kind of suffering. Isaiah tells of “the anguish of His soul” (v 11) and that “He poured out Himself [Lit His soul] to death, and was numbered with the transgressors” (v 12). An innocent Son of Man suffering the physical agony of crucifixion, bearing the iniquity of the human race under the hand of God, providing the justification of many - this is the cross of God’s Servant, Christ Jesus our Lord. ><>Jeff